


Everything’s alright

by lotuses



Category: SHINee
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2019-10-13 12:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17488385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotuses/pseuds/lotuses
Summary: Taemin’s dancing career is put at risk after he develops a heroin addiction.





	Everything’s alright

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Drug use.

He rang the doorbell thrice, but got no answer.

‘Taemin, are you there?’ he asked, banging on the door. ‘Taemin!’

He grunted and looked under the flower pot. Empty, he thought. Under the rug? He picked up the dusty key and opened the door.

‘Taemin, where are you?’

Getting no answer he made his way to the living room. There were hamburger wrappers, mouldy chips, empty syringes, a spilled bottle of Coke, and dirty clothes lying on the floor. Disgusting.

‘Taemin!’

He wrinkled his nose and headed to the bedroom. He opened the door and found no one. The bathroom was the only room left. He went in the opposite direction and touched the handle. He sighed, seeing the boy’s back.

‘Why didn’t you answer?’ he demanded.

‘I was a bit busy,’ replied Taemin, turning to the source of the voice.

‘What… are you doing?’

Taemin was holding a tiny mirror in his left arm, a syringe in the other aimed at his neck.

‘I ran out of spoons… Ran to the supermarket… They almost got me…’ he whispered.

‘Why are you using a bottle cap?’ he gulped. Is that toilet water?

‘Yeah… I ran out of spoons. Couldn’t shoot up otherwise.’

‘Maybe you shouldn’t do that.’

He reached to Taemin’s hand, trying to get the syringe from him. Taemin moved to the side and dropped the mirror in the toilet.

‘What the fuck, Jongin?! I dropped my mirror.’ cried Taemin

‘It didn’t look safe.’ quivered the younger boy.

‘I’ve done it before, can’t use other veins.’

And it was true, he had burst veins on his arms and legs, turning black in some places.

‘Taemin, please.’

‘”Please” what?’ he snapped.

‘Please stop doing this. You’ve missed three rehearsals already, the guys want to kick you out.’

‘Let them kick me out.’

Jongin sat on his knees beside Taemin and placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘You’ve worked so hard. You don’t need to do this.’

‘You don’t understand.’ replied Taemin as he pushed the plunger.

‘We need to go to a hospital, your arms look bad.’

Taemin dropped the syringe and turned to Jongin. ‘You think I don’t know?’ he smiled. ‘I’ll stop next week, okay?’

You’ve been saying that for weeks.

‘By the way, can I borrow 20,000 won?’ asked Taemin

‘I don’t have that much money on me.’

Taemin narrowed his eyes and stood up. He looked at Jongin as his eyes got watery. ‘Yes you do! You just don’t want to!’ he hissed. ‘You’re always like this, Jongin! You only care about yourself.’

Jongin got up and grabbed Taemin’s arms.

‘Let’s get you help. Please.’ he whispered.

Taemin shook his head and kept crying. ‘You don’t want to help me. You’re out to get me. Just like everyone else.’ Taemin slapped his arms and went to the living room with Jongin behind him. ‘I don’t even need help!’ he yelled. Taemin picked up a beer bottle from the table and took a sip. ‘There’s nothing wrong with me now!’

Taemin waved his hand at Jongin, motioning him to leave. ‘Go.’ he smiled. ‘And next time bring me some smack, will you?’ He pushed Jonging through the door. ‘Oh, and some spoons!’ And he closed the door.

Taemin sat down on his battered mattress and stared at the ceiling. He hadn’t slept in a while. What was the point of it all? Live fast, die young. And love hard? No, Taemin couldn’t love anyone anymore, especially not himself. So what if they wanted to kick him out? He didn’t need them. They didn’t like him anyway, did they? And he didn’t even care. That’s how he started doing drugs too. Taemin wanted to not care, just like all the cool guys he saw around him. Sure, it made him throw up, he wanted to die, his head started spinning, but after a few times he was better. He started feeling better. He knew he was better. His head dropped to his side and he fell asleep.

When Taemin woke up he banged his head against the wall. What day is it? He rubbed his eyes and reached for his jacket. Taemin looked at his fingertips – they were burned from the lighter when he was in the bathroom. He smiled; even though it hurt him, it was the only way he knew it was real.

He was going to the supermarket again, he hadn’t had any food in his apartment in almost a month. As a matter of fact, he had no money either. He resorted to stuffing food in jacket. He kept stealing for the same supermarket too. When he opened the door to leave he was met with Jongin.

‘Something you need?’ asked Taemin

‘I came to take you to the hospital.’

Taemin walked past him and headed for the lift. Jongin followed him.

‘Where are we going?’

‘The supermarket.’

‘Taemin…’ he pleaded

‘I’m really hungry.’ answered Taemin, closing his eyes.

It didn’t take them long to reach the supermarket. However, when Taemin entered, he started looking around and fidgeting. The cashier noticed. Jongin noticed. He also noticed how she raised the phone to her year. Taemin went down an aisle and stuffed some chocolate bars in his pockets. Before Jongin managed to convince him to let him pay for them, the police had already arrived. Taemin panicked, and so he pushed past the officers and ran away. Jongin was petrified. He wasn’t able to save him.

Taemin ran to an old building, often looking behind him. He knew he wasn’t going to live much longer, but he needed his fix before he went out. When he reached the entrance, he shot a look behind one more time.


End file.
